1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to illumination of building interiors with natural light, and more particularly, to a skylight system and method of installation for use within residential and commercial buildings.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of skylight systems in building structures is well known in the art. Standard systems include skylights constructed in the traditional window frame style and the more recently developed tubular body style. Usually, the window frame style is more costly than the tubular style and requires structural changes to the building's ceiling and roof for proper installation. For these reasons, the movement in natural illumination with sunlight has been toward the less expensive, easier installed tubular skylight system. Such skylights typically include a system with a ceiling structure, a roof structure and a tubular body positioned therebetween. Tubular skylight systems are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,339,900; 4,733,505; and 5,099,622. These prior art skylight systems, however, fall short of completely satisfactory construction, durability and efficient lighting. The shortcomings of these systems include use of non-sturdy materials, leaking roof mounts, external electrical ceiling light mounts and above-roof reflectors which may actually decrease the amount of sunlight emitted into the building's interior.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,622, issued to Steven M. Sutton on Mar. 31, 1992, the skylight system requires the use of a reflector located within the light-permeable chamber and mounted above the roof line. Even when strategically positioned along the path of the sun, the use of an above roof reflector blocks a significant portion of the sunlight which would otherwise enter the system and illuminate the building if the reflector were not present.
Notwithstanding the tubular skylight systems that have been previously disclosed, however, there remains a need for an inexpensive, leak proof, efficient natural light system that is aesthectically pleasing, easy to install and simple to maintain.